Aerosol spray actuating device

ABSTRACT

A device for operating an aerosol can having a tilting lever valve including a lever extension mounted to the valve, the can being supported on the edge of the door while the tripping mechanism is provided in alignment with the extension of the valve mounted to a door frame adapted to actuate the lever as the door is being opened and closed.

United States Patent 1 1 Langford 1 Jan. 30, 1973 [54] AEROSOL SPRAY ACTUATING [56] References Cited DEVICE a r V UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,644 l2/l965 Davis ..222/l80 X [76] Inventor D'mald Campbell e 3,608,784 9/1971 Brown et al. ..222/1s0 Oakland Avenue, Hudson He1ghts, Quebec Canada Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Att0rneyAlan Swabey [22] Filed: May 12,197]

21 Appl. No.: 142,687 [57] ABSTRACT A device for operating an aerosol can having a tilting V V lever valve including a lever extension mounted to the valve, the can being supported on the edge of the door [52] U.S. Cl ..222/180 while the pp mechanism is provided in alignment [5]] lift-Cl. ..B65d 83/14 with the extension of the Valve mounted to a door Field 0f Search frame adapted to actuate the lever as the door is being opened and closed.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures AEROSOL SPRAY ACTUATING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to a spray dispenser and more particularly to an attachment for actuating an aerosol container.

2. Description of Prior Art It is an aim of the present invention to provide an actuating device in combination with an aerosol can, containing a deoderant for instance, for use in an area where it may be required to destroy undesirable odors from time to time. More specifically, it is an aim of the present invention to provide an aerosol deoderizer in a room for instance, in such a location that the deoderizer is actuated when someone enters or leaves the room.

It is also contemplated to apply the present invention to other uses for instance, whenever it is required to spray an atomized liquid or the like from time to time.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION A construction in accordance with the present invention includes a support member for mounting an aerosol container to a swinging door or to the door frame. A triggering lever is associated with the release cap of the aerosol container. A tripping device is mounted opposite the support member on the door or door frame respectively and is adapted to trip the triggering lever as the door is swung in order to actuate the release cap on the aerosol container.

IN THE DRAWINGS Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, it will be described in more detail, with particular reference to the drawings, showing by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an embodiment of the invention mounted on a door and the door frame with the door in the course of being swung to a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another detail of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of an element shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic view showing an embodiment of the invention in a first operative position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the embodiment of the invention in a second successive position; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic view showing an embodiment of the invention in a third successive position.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4, the aerosol can 10 is shown mounted in a holder 12 which is suspended from the top edge of a door 14 in alignment with and adapted to cooperate with a tripping mechanism 18 mounted on the door frame 16.

The holder 12 as shown in FIG. 2 includes a box-like member having walls 20, 22, 24 and 26. A pin 27 is located at the bottom of the walls and 24 and is adapted to support the can 10 in the holder.

A flange 28 extends normally to the top edge of the wall 26, the second flange 30 extends from the first flange 28 normal thereto. The distance between the flange 30 and the wall 26 corresponds to the thickness of the door on which the holder is to be hung.

The aerosol can 10 is selected from the type having a lever dispensing valve 32 as opposed to the push-button valve type. A cap 34 is fitted on the valve 32 and includes a nozzle 36. A lever extension 38 extends upwardly from the cap 34 parallel to the axis of the valve lever 32.

The tripping mechanism 18 can include a base plate 40 which is adapted to be screwed to a door frame by means of screws 41. A rectangular plate 42 extends normally to the base plate 40 and defines a rectangular opening 44 to provide a tripping bar 46.

In operation, the holder 12 is mounted to the door as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 through 7 while the tripping mechanism 18 is mounted to the top of the door frame in alignment with the extension 38. As the door is closed, for instance, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the bar 46 will contact the lever extension 38 causing the cap 34 to tilt and therefore the lever valve 32 to dispense an atomized spray through the nozzle 36 in the cap 34. As the door is continued to be swung, the lever extension 38 will pass under the bar 46 and then be released as shown in FIG. 6. When the door is fully closed, the lever extension 38 is in an upright position and the valve 32 is in a closed position.

Similarly, when the'door is being opened, the reverse tripping of the lever 38 by means of the bar 46 will cause the valve 32 to dispense further spray. The extension 38 or the tripping mechanism 18 can be so arranged such that the valve 32 is opened only when the door is opened or only when the door is closed.

As previously mentioned, the can holder 12 can be provided in a bathroom for instance, where whenever a person enters or leaves the bathroom, a minute amount of deoderant spray will be dispensed from the can 10 as the door is being opened or closed thereby destroying the odors present in the bathroom. The can holder 12 or trip mechanism 18 can of course be reversed, that is placing the can holder 12 to the door frame and the tripping mechanism 18 to the door.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for actuating a dispensing valve of an aerosol container having a tilting type lever valve comprising support means for supporting the container near the edge of one of a door and a door frame, a lever extension fixedly mounted to the tilting valve, an actuating member mounted to the other of the door and door frame spaced therefrom and mounted transverse to thedirection of movement of the door, the extension of the tilting valve adapted to be engaged by the actuating member thereby momentarily actuating the valve on the aerosol container when the door is being opened or closed.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the aerosol container is mounted to the top edge of the door while the tripping means is mounted to the door frame in alignment with the valve of the aerosol container.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the supporting means includes a box-like member having a hangar means for supporting the box-like member on the top edge of the door, when the aerosol container is in the box-like member with the valve protruding from the top thereof.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the ac- 

1. An apparatus for actuating a dispensing valve of an aerosol container having a tilting type lever valve comprising support means for supporting the container near the edge of one of a door and a door frame, a lever extension fixedly mounted to the tilting valve, an actuating member mounted to the other of the door and door frame spaced therefrom and mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the door, the extension of the tilting valve adapted to be engaged by the actuating member thereby momentarily actuating the valve on the aerosol container when the door is being opened or closed.
 1. An apparatus for actuating a dispensing valve of an aerosol container having a tilting type lever valve comprising support means for supporting the container near the edge of one of a door and a door frame, a lever extension fixedly mounted to the tilting valve, an actuating member mounted to the other of the door and door frame spaced therefrom and mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the door, the extension of the tilting valve adapted to be engaged by the actuating member thereby momentarily actuating the valve on the aerosol container when the door is being opened or closed.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the aerosol container is mounted to the top edge of the door while the tripping means is mounted to the door frame in alignment with the valve of the aerosol container.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the supporting means includes a box-like member having a hangar means for supporting the box-like member on the top edge of the door, when the aerosol container is in the box-like member with the valve protruding from the top thereof. 